10.25.24 – KAKE
Different law enforcement agencies gathered at city hall early Friday afternoon to provide stats on crime, the contributing factors and resolution.
“The detention facility has its lowest population in 20 years,” said Sedgwick County Undersheriff Colonel Brian White who also added the population is at about 1,200 inmates.
White said Part 1 offenses like criminal homicide, rape and human trafficking within the city and Sedgwick County are contributing factors to why people end up in these detention centers.
He said Fentanyl is still the number one drug on the streets and the amount of overdose calls are about the same.
White also added overdose deaths in Sedgwick County are down 17 percent thanks to easier access to Narcan.
Sedgwick County DA Marc Bennett also said they are seeing improvements in homicide cases.
Over the past three years, those numbers have gone up, but are back down to pre-COVID levels with the help of some local attorneys.
“They took on this homicide project where they take two or three at a time and never get overwhelmed but they devote themselves entirely to these homicides get them tried and move on to the next one,” said Bennett.
Chief Joe Sullivan echoes that saying he has seen success with non-fatal shootings down 24 percent and improvements in theft cases.
It has been two weeks since he established a task force that has recovered about a half million dollars worth of stolen property.